Contents

Author's Note

This chapter takes place in beginning season 3 (Before "The Day of Black Sun" but after "The Runaway").

Content

Sokka hid in the bushes, watching two Fire Nation men through a pair of binoculars talk about who-knows-what. He was hoping to learn things about the Fire Nation by "studying" them. Toph, who was lying next to him, her legs crossed and a piece of hay gritted between her teeth, was very annoyed and tired of this "surveillance".

"Sokka, we've been at this for hours," complained Toph. "This whole thing has just been a waste. I mean, all they're saying is 'new meat in' this and 'great weather' that. Let's head back to camp and end this pointless parade."

"Oh, Toph," started Sokka, shaking his head smiling," poor, naïve, Toph. These men are the enemies. And we must stay closer to the enemies then to our own selves."

"That doesn't even make sense!" screamed Toph, unfolding her arms to spread them out.

"Shush, quiet, I think I hear something interestIIIING!"

A large man with a bald head picked up Sokka by his collar with one, muscular arm. The man snarled at Sokka, making him laugh sheepishly.

"What are you doin' spyin' on these citizens?" asked the man angrily. "Huh?"

He looked at Toph. "And you. Is this guy botherin' ya?"

Toph stood up, fists clenched and blind eyes squinting in anger. She stomped on the ground in an Earthbending move pose and said, "Well, yeah, on a regular bases," before striking the ground with her foot making the giant man jump in the air by a huge pillar. Sokka landed on the ground with a thud, groaning. "But he's still my friend."

At the moment Sokka got up, the two men he was "studying" noticed the ruckus and yelled at them, "Hey!"

"Let's get outta her!" screamed Toph grabbing Sokka's arm.

They started running through the Fire Nation town, dodging over obstacles with Toph's Earthbending. The two were almost safe when two men carrying a huge box of smelly fish walked right in front of them.

"Aaaaah!" screamed the two in unison before Toph bended a huge pillar to propel him and her up in the air over the huge box, the men chasing them colliding into the box making it crash to the ground.

Landing on the ground, Toph formed a roving boulder to move her and Sokka around.

"Not that I'm ungrateful, Toph, but you just TOTALLY BLEW OUR COVER!" Sokka screamed on the boulder.

"Oh, would you shut your trap and stop whining?!" she hollered.

"Most likely not," said Sokka. Just then, the boulder stopped short, making Sokka scream, as he was propelled forward and slammed into a tree.

"Uh..."

"Sorry!"

He groaned as he got up. "Why did we stop?" Toph pointed to a group of rugged thugs riding on giant komodo-frogs.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't The Runaway," said the leader of the group that had a patched scar under his eye. "And one of her oddly dressed accomplices."